came hahe was a st football player, and he played five seasons with the san francisco and one with the oakland raiders. >> i love football. it provided me with some experiences and some opportunities that i wouldn't trade for anything else. but at the same time the cost was great in asking me to not speak candidly or be able to be open about myself in this complete manner. >> reporter: harris is gay. he says he's always known this, but concealed it until recently. >> i wasn't publicly out until about, i don't know, beginning of the super bowl when it was publicized. >> reporter: it was publicized after an alleged altercation with an ex-boyfriend outside a restaurant. and then chris culver made this comment on artie lange's radio show. >> ain't got no gay people on the team. they got to get up out of here. >> reporter: culliver apologized but the sentiment is not uncommon in the sports world. last baseball season yunel escobar was suspended for three games for a gay slur written in spanish in the grease under his eyes. escobar apologized as well. but it does explain why no player in any of the